Web2 talents continue to flow into Web3 with Yuga's latest C-suite hire

Yuga Labs, the startup behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT, has hired former Epic Games Development EVP Mike Seavers as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). 

According to a press release, Seavers will join Yuga Labs on May 22nd. He will replace the current CTO and co-founder Kerem Atalay, who will continue to serve as a close strategic advisor.

The latest move comes about four months after Yuga hired Activision Blizzard's former President, Daniel Alegre, as its new CEO. Since November 2022, Yuga has been actively recruiting Web2 talents to build the next era of the Internet.  

Seavers will bring over two decades of experience as a technology and product leader to spearhead Yuga's Web3 ambitions. Previously, Seavers served as Executive Vice President of Development at Epic Games, where he managed development teams for Unreal Engine, Fortnite, the Epic Games Store, and more. Prior to joining Epic Games in 2021, Seavers was Chief Technology Officer at Riot Games, where he supported many well-known titles such as League of Legends and Valorant. 

Speaking on the appointment of Seavers, Yuga Labs CEO Daniel Alegre said: "Mike has a proven track record of taking organizations to the next level, and he shares our vision for how important digital identity and community will be for the future of the internet. We have an opportunity to be the Web3 platform at the forefront of community and social engagement, through media and entertainment, and Mike's expertise will help us scale to achieve that." 

"There have been rare moments over my career where I felt like a new technology was creating a true paradigm shift for the world," said Seavers. "I recognize that Web3 is one of those moments, and I am absolutely thrilled to join Yuga Labs to help usher in a new era of the internet that impacts the world for the better."

Apart from creating its flagship BAYC collection, Yuga is also known for being one of the first Web3 companies to release IP licenses to NFT holders and acquire and release rights to other top collections like CryptoPunks and Meebits. The company has since moved into blockchain gaming with the release of the Otherside metaverse, which also offers NFTs via the Otherdeeds collection.